Accordin tae the Algerian constitution, a wilaya is a territorial collectivity enjoyin economic an diplomatic freedom, the APW, or "Popular Provincial Parliament/Provincial Popular Parliament" (the Assemblée Populaire Wilayale, in French) is the poleetical entity govrenin a province, directit bi the "Wali" (Govrenor), who is chosen bi the Algerian Preses tae handle the APW's decisions, the APW haes an aa a preses, who is electit bi the members o the APW, which is electit bi Algerians.

The province numbers are the first 31 provinces (see the seicont section) in Arabicalphabetical order, efter the addin o 17 ither provinces in 1983, the auld numberin wis kept an the 17 new provinces hae been assigned codes frae 32-48, in Arabic alphabetical order. There are 48 provinces (syne 1983) in Algerie, they are: